Tray shelving



TRAY SHELVING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 26, 1961 INVENTORSZ MILTON E.HANDLER RALPH BELLON ATT'Y J1me 1964 M. E.- HANDLER ETAL 3,139,253

TRAY SHELVING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 26. 1961 INVENTORS: MILTON E.HANDLER RALPH J.

LLON

6 M Y B United States Patent O Sirokie,

This invention relates to tray shelving, and more particularly to trayshelving which can be readily assembled and disassembled and which hasinternal and external reinforcing means to assure stability andlongevity under conditions of heavy use. The present application is acontinuation-in-part of our copending application Serial No. 666,952,filed June 20, 1957, now US. Patent No. 2,982,423, issued May 2, 196l,reference to which is hereby made.

Heretofore, tray shelving has been available which could be assembledand dismantled with relative ease, but this shelving has been subject tothe difficulty that the connection between the shelf structures and thesupports has often required special care in adjustment, while specialunder-supports have often been required for the shelves themselves andthe shelves afterinstallation are not rigid in use and under inadvertentcontacts.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved shelving assembly, wherein the shelf structure can be readilyinserted in the support elements in laterally, as well as vertically,guided relationship without the necessity for accurate estimation of therelationship of the parts yet when installed will be rugged and steadywith the supports clamped in place, if desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide tray shelving asdescribed, wherein the shelving is substantially self-sustaining withrespect to the upright supports therefor, and is provided with means forconnection with the supports effective not only against both stress andtension forces at a plurality of points, but also against sidesway orwarping and prevents dislodgrnent when accidentally struck or moved.

Another object of this invention is to provide a shelving assemblyhaving a rack and tray shelving in combination as described wherein theends of the rack have inwardly configured reinforcing structureaffording additional strength in retaining articles on the tray.

A still further object of this invention'is to provide a shelvingassembly having a rack and a tray in combination as described whereinthe rack and tray have a bipartite structure providing telescopingexpansion and retraction thereof selectively.

Another object of this invention is to provide a shelving assemblywherein the outwardly extending ends of the shelving side brackets inthe form of cantilever beams are not rigidly interconnected and sidesway of the assembly is restrained by the resilient gripping action ofthe shelving support interlocking with the other end of the sidebrackets.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description proceeds in accordance with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shelf according to the presentinvention, showing the trays in cooperative relationship with racks, andhaving the trays and racks telescopically adjustable;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a glass shelf supported by a shelvingconstruction embodying a preferred form of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing an end wall of the shelf asit is placed in guided relationship with respect to the improvedvertical supports therefor upon in- Bellon, Glen- Patented June '30.,1964 ice troduction of the shelf into supported relationship with thesupports;

FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to the view of FIG. 3 showing the shelfafter it has beenbrought into proper angular relationship with thesupport for the shelf;

FIG. 5 is a.further view corresponding to the views of FIGS. 3 and 4,and showing the shelf in assembled condition ready to carry weight;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 in FIG. 5 showing the improvedfastening and clamping arrangement.

Referring now to the drawings, the shelf assembly according to theinvention comprises a plurality of vertical support elements 128 (FIG.6), which are preferably v a plurality of vertically spaced, rectangularaperture 14 at the bottom of the groove 126 for engagement with one ormore trays or shelves 106 and 128 and brackets 130 as hereinafterfurther set forth in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2. Each of the shelvesis provided with end walls or brackets 130 for shelf 128 and each of theend walls and brackets has formed axially thereon a pair of ears orlegs, such as the ears 28 and 30, it being seen that the verticallyspaced apertures 14 in the supports including the groove 126 ifdesiredare sufiiciently wide to receive a pair of end walls or brackets130 and their ears 28 and 30 therein in side-to-side abuttingrelationship if desired with the ears 28 and 30 being spaced apart apredetermined distance vertically sufiicient to permit them to engage inimmediately and vertically adjacent apertures 14, as shown in FIG. 1 orspanning one or more as shown in FIGS. 26. 1

In accordance with the invention, each of the ears 28 and 30 hasadepending locking extension designated bynumbers 60 and 62, spaced fromthe rear edges of the respective end walls of the trays a distancesubstantially corresponding to the distance of the apertures 14 arefspaced'from the front wall of the vertical supports 120. However, inorder that any possibility of shear or tension forces effecting rippingof the metal connection 64 between the car 28 and the side wall 130 withwhich it is formed may be prevented, an upstanding extension 66 isprovided on the ear 28 whose function will'be hereinafter furtherdescribed. At the same time, the-depending element 60 is bevelled at itsouter edge 68 for ease in inserting the ear 28 into the support and theupstanding. extension 66 can be rounded as at 132 to clear the face ofthe'wall 134 upon which the supports are mounted.

The manner of inserting the elements into supported position on theupright supports 120, may be seen by reference to FIGS. 3 through 5.First, the car 28 is inserted'into one of the apertures 14, with theupstanding extension 66 pointed at an angle and the rounding 132permitting admission. At such time, the bevelled lower edge 68 of theear 28 permits the ear to pass freely over the lower edge of theaperture 14, as shown in FIGS. 3-5. T hereupon, the tray is pivotedinwardly until the ears 28 and'30 are received behind the wall of theupright through the bottom of the groove 126 in which 3 so that it maybe maintained in abutting engagement behind the support 120, as shown inFIGS. 4 and 5, when the tray or bracket is in its working position.

The ear 28, therefore, provides two stress-resisting engagements withthe supports 120, one afforded by the up standing ear extension 66, andthe other afforded by the depending ear extension 60, whereas inpreviously available constructions the tray, if engaged in akey-and-slot relationship, tended to pull away from the shelf due to thetearing of one of the keys used therefor. The present constructionprecludes any such possibility by virtue of scoping construction isused, as stated, any desired adthe double engagement of the car 28 withthe vertical support. Because the ear 28 is spaced a predetermineddistance above the ear 30, it will be appreciated that the ear 30 ineffect acts as a pivot point for forces tending to move the trayoutwardly of the vertical support and, accordingly, a greater degree ofstress and tension is placed upon the ear 28 than is placed upon the ear30. Thus, this double stress resistance afforded by the separate ears 66andl) is extremely advantageous in a construction as shown. On the otherhand, the ears 30 when mengaged position (as seen in FIG. 5) must resistprimarily forces. of shear exerted by the bottom edge of the aperture 14in which it is placed so that if the relative height above. the saidbottom edge of the aperture 14 is sufficiently great, there will berelatively little danger of tearing with respect to this ear.

Referring again to FIG. 1, it will be seen that trays 106 may be usedwhich are adapted to telescope, and that racks 100 may be used inconjunction with the trays, here shown in telescopic form also. Theracks 100, which may be used for preventing bottles and the like fromtumbling, and for holding such articles at a position above the bottomof the trays, have their end extensions 102 configured to be insertedwithin the slots 14 in the mariner described. Preferably, such endextensions are "dished as at 104 for additional strength.

The telescoping form of the shelving thus permits the trays tobe'adjusted to a predetermined alignment of the uprights withoutdifliculty, and generally contributes to the ease of adjustment andassembly thereof, particularly where variations in shelf widths may bedesired.

The embodiment shown is of particular interest in supporting bracketssuch as those shown at 130 in FIG. 2 which are free at their outer endsto move with respect to each other. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6,side walls 149, defining the groove 126, are so arranged that theyreceive the brackets 130 therebetween in close relationship whichprevents but very little freedom of movement at the outer end of thebracket.

Moreover, the side walls are cut away as at 152 in FIG. 5 to provide arecess receiving the round head of the wood screw 154 to a counter-sunkdepth indicated by shoulder 156, below the level of which thecounter-sunk is reduced in dimension as at 158 to merely receive theshank 160 of the screw 154 therein. When the screw is tighteneddownwardly it presses the walls 144 inwardly against the wall 134 andwhen the sides 144 of the support 120 rest against the surface of thewall as at 146, further tightening of this screw forces the centralportion 124 inwardly towards wall 134 with the resulting action that theside walls 140 are drawn into clamping or pressing relationship againstopposite faces of the bracket 1 thereby further rigidifying the supportof the outer end of the racket against side sway.

Accordingly, there has been provided a shelf construction which is easyto assemble and disassemble, the guide ears 28 serving to guide the trayas a whole during the initial stages of insertion into the supports.After the ear 28 has thus guided and aligned the tray relative to thesupports, the ears 30 automatically will be in registration with theirapertures immediately subjacent the apertures receiving the ears 28 andwith further tightening of the screw 146 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 theshelf supports are held rigidly in place. Thus, the entire assembly willjustment may be made without ditficulty and once made the rigidityprovided for the shelf supports will prevent relative movement orseparation of the telescoped parts.

Although we have herein set forth and described our invention withrespect to certain principles and details thereof, it will be understoodby those skilled in the art that these may be varied without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the hereuntoappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A shelving support comprising an elongated channel-like supportelement having two side walls interconnected along adjacent edges by aninverted channel portion having at its bottom a plurality of axiallyspaced slots each having a predetermined axial length, a bracket elementreceived in said inverted channel portion and engaging side wallsthereof and said slots, said bracket element including an upper ear anda lower ear in coplanar relationship with the bracket element, each ofthe ears having a depending extension and the upper ear having anupstanding extension, the slots being dimensioned to I receive the upperand lower ears therein, said upstanding extension being slidableupwardly past the upper end of the slot into which it maybe introduced,the upper and lower extensions on the upper ear serving to provide apair of stress-resistance points to resist pivotal movement of the trayoutwardly about the said support point, said inverted channel havingopenings therethrough to receive support mounting elements whichtransmit a securing force in a direction from said adjacent edgestowards the bottom of the inverted channel to flex the side walls ofsaid inverted channel in clamping relation against the sides of saidbracket element.

2. A shelving support comprising an elongated channellike supportelement having two side walls providing parallel wall engaging edgesalong one edge and interconnected along their other edges by an invertedchannel portion having a bottom portion spaced a substantial distancefrom the plane of said wall engaging edges, said bottom portion having aplurality of axially spaced slots each having a predetermined axiallength, a bracket element received in said inverted channel portion andengaging said slots, said bracket element including an upper ear and alower ear in coplanar relationship with the bracket element, each of theears having a depending extension and the upper ear having an upstandingextension rounded at its upper remote corner, the slots beingdimensioned to receive the upper and lower ears therein, said upstandingextension being slidable inwardly and upwardly behind the upper. end ofthe receiving slot within the space defined between said bottom portionand said plane, the upper and lower extensions on the upper ear servingto provide a pair of stress-resistance points to resist pivotal movementof the tray outwardly about the said support point, and the side wallsof said inverted channel portion engaging the sides of the bracketelement in lateral supporting relationship over an area spaced from saidears.

3.' A shelving support comprising an elongated channel-like supportelement having two side Walls providing parallel wall engaging edgesalong one edge and interconnected along their other edges by an invertedchannel portion having a bottom portion spaced a substantial distancefrom the plane of said wall engaging edges, said bottorn portion havinga plurality of axially spaced slots each having a predetermined axiallength, a bracket element received in said inverted channel portion andengaging said slots, said bracket element including an upper ear and alower ear in coplanar relationship with the bracket element, each of theears having a depending extension and the upper ear having an upstandingextension, the slots being dimensioned to receive the upper and lowerears therein, said upstanding extension being slidable in- Wardly andupwardly behind the upper end of the receiving slot within the spacedefined between said bottom portion and said plane, the upper and lowerextensions on the upper ear serving to provide a pair ofstress-resistance points to resist pivotal movement of the trayoutwardly about the said support point, and means engaging said sidewalls of said inverted channel portion and passing between said paralleledges for supporting the support element with said parallel edgesagainst a flat wall surface.

4. A shelving support comprising an elongated channellike supportelement having two side walls providing parallel wall engaging edgesalong one edge and interconnected along their other edges by an invertedchannel portion having a bottom portion spaced a substantial distancefrom the plane of said wall engaging edges, said bottom portion having aplurality of axially spaced slots each having a predetermined axiallength, a bracket element received in said invertedcharmel portion andengaging said slots, said bracket element including an upper ear and alower ear in coplanar relationship with the bracket element, each of theears having a depending extension and the upper ear having an upstandingextension, the slots being dimensioned to receive the upper and lowerears therein, said upstanding extension being slidable inwardly andupwardly behind the upper end of the receiving slot Within the spacedefined between said bottom portion and said plane, the upper and lowerextensions on the upper ear serving to provide a pair ofstressresistance points to resist pivotal movement of the tray outwardlyabout the said support point, the side Walls of said inverted channelportion engaging the sides of the bracket element in lateral supportingrelationship over an area spaced from said ears, and means engaging saidside walls of said inverted channel portion and passing between saidparallel edges for supporting the support element with said paralleledges against a flat wall surface.

5. A shelving support comprising an elongated channellike supportelement having two side walls interconnected along adjacent edges by aninverted channel portion having at its bottom a plurality of axiallyspaced slots each having a predetermined axial length, a bracket elementreceived in said inverted channel portion and engaging side wallsthereof and said slots, said bracket element including an upper ear anda lower ear in coplanar relationship with the bracket element, the slotsbeing dimensioned to receive the upper and lower ears therein throughthe inverted channel for engagement therewith in interlockingrelationship to provide stress-resistance points to resist pivotalmovement of the tray outwardly about the said support point, saidinverted channel having openings therethrough to receive supportmounting elements engaging the side walls of the inverted channel totransmit a securing force in a direction from said adjacent edgestowards the bottom of the inverted channel to drive the side walls ofsaid inverted channel towards each other in clamping relation againstthe opposite faces of said bracket element over areas spaced from saidears.

6. In a shelving structure the combination of an upright support havinga substantially channel-shaped crosssectional configuration with aninverted channel in the front wall thereof with the bottom portionthereof defining a plurality of axially aligned, evenly spaced slots ofuniform dimensions, and means having a bracket portion defining an upperear and a lower ear in coplanar relationship therewith, said ears beingspaced apart a distance substantially corresponding to the distancebetween said slots, each of said ears having a depending extension, eachof said end extensions having a keying ear adapted to be received inspaced slots receiving said end bracket portion ears, the upper andlower extensions on 6 the upper ear serving to provide a pair ofstress-resistance points to resist pivotal movement of the trayoutwardly about the said support point, said inverted channel havingopenings therethrough to receive support mounting elements whichtransmit a securing force in a direction from said adjacent edgestowards the bottom of the inverted channel to flex the side walls ofsaid inverted channel in clamping relation against the sides of saidbracket element.

7. In a shelving structure the combination of a plurality ofspaced'upright supports each having a substantially channel-shapedcross-sectional configuration having an inverted channel in the frontwall thereof with the bottom portion thereof defining a plurality ofaxially aligned, evenly spaced slots of uniform dimensions, a bracketfor each support having an upper ear and a lower ear in coplanarrelationship therewith, said ears being spaced apart a distancesubstantially corresponding to the distance between said slots, each ofsaid ears having a depending extension received through said slots andbehind said bottom portion, and means for depressing said invertedchannel to clamp the sides thereof against the opposite faces of saidbracket over areas thereof spaced from said ears.

8. Spaced vertically disposed shelving supports comprising a pair ofelongated channel-like support elements each defining two sides and aface wall between them and an invertedchannel in the face wall having atthe bottom thereof a plurality of vertically spaced slots each having apredetermined axial length and being correspondingly spaced identicaldistances for both elements at the same level, a pair of bracketelements received in said inverted channel in engagement with therespective side walls thereof, each of the bracket elements defining anupper ear and a lower ear in coplanar relationship with the wall, eachof the ears having a depending extension and the upper ear having anupstanding extension, the slots being dimensioned to receive the upperand lower ears therein in spaced slots, the upper ear serving as a guidefor the lower ear and the upper extension thereon being slidableupwardly and behind the upper end of the slot into which it isintroduced, said upper extension on said each upper ear having a lengthsufficient to engage the bottom of said inverted channels respectivelyinto which it may be introduced after the lower ear has been pivotedinto the slot below the slot receiving the upper ear, said lower earproviding a support point on which the weight of the tray exertedthrough the end wall is sup ported, the upper and lower extensions onthe upper ear serving to provide a pair of stress-resistance points toresist pivotal movement of the tray outwardly about the said supportpoint, and support securing means engaging the side walls of therespective inverted channels below said face wall for applying pressureon said respective brackets to maintain them in supported parallelrelationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,978,636 Keil Oct. 30, 1934 2,122,336 Berry June 28, 1938 2,216,621Mackinga Oct. 1, 1940 2,534,952 Comer Dec. 19, 1950 2,627,982 WilliamsFeb. 10, 1953 2,691,502 Jones Oct. 12, 1954 2,783,961 Weber Mar. 5, 19572,982,423 Handler May 2, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 135,368 Australia May 8,1947 721,190 Great Britain Dec. 29, l954

1. A SHELVING SUPPORT COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CHANNEL-LIKE SUPPORTELEMENT HAVING TWO SIDE WALLS INTERCONNECTED ALONG ADJACENT EDGES BY ANINVERTED CHANNEL PORTION HAVING AT ITS BOTTOM A PLURALITY OF AXIALLYSPACED SLOTS EACH HAVING A PREDETERMINED AXIAL LENGTH, A BRACKET ELEMENTRECEIVED IN SAID INVERTED CHANNEL PORTION AND ENGAGING SIDE WALLSTHEREOF AND SAID SLOTS, SAID BRACKET ELEMENT INCLUDING AN UPPER EAR ANDA LOWER EAR IN COPLANAR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BRACKET ELEMENT, EACH OFTHE EARS HAVING A DEPENDING EXTENSION AND THE UPPER EAR HAVING ANUPSTANDING EXTENSION, THE SLOTS BEING DIMENSIONED TO RECEIVE THE UPPERAND LOWER EARS THEREIN, SAID UPSTANDING EXTENSION BEING SLIDABLEUPWARDLY PAST THE UPPER END OF THE SLOT INTO WHICH IT MAY BE INTRODUCED,THE UPPER AND LOWER EXTENSIONS ON THE UPPER EAR SERVING TO PROVIDE APAIR OF STRESS-RESISTANCE POINTS TO RESIST PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF THE TRAYOUTWARDLY ABOUT THE SAID SUPPORT POINT, SAID INVERTED CHANNEL HAVINGOPENINGS THERETHROUGH TO RECEIVE SUPPORT MOUNTING ELEMENTS WHICHTRANSMIT A SECURING FORCE IN A DIRECTION FROM SAID ADJACENT EDGESTOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THE INVERTED CHANNEL TO FLEX THE SIDE WALLS OFSAID INVERTED CHANNEL IN CLAMPING RELATION AGAINST THE SIDES OF SAIDBRACKET ELEMENT.